Combined latch and lock.



H. A. PALMER.

COMBINED LATCH AND LOCK.

APPLICATION FILED APR.3, 191s Patented Jan. 6, 1914.

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A TTOR/VEY COLUMBIA FLANDGRAPH Cm, WASHINGTON, u. C-.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY A. PALMER, 0F MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR. TO FOSTER, MERRIAM AND COMPANY, OF MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

COMBINED LATCH AND LOCK.

Application filed April 3, 1913.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HARRY A. PALMER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Meriden, county of New Haven, State of Connecticut, have invented an Improvement in Combined Latches and Locks, of which the following is a specification.

This invent-ion relates to combined locks and latches especially adapted for use on refrigerator doors and the like and has for its object to provide a device of this character which is efiicient and reliable in operation, and which is of simple and inexpensive construction, the number of essential parts being reduced to a minimum.

With this and other objects in view I have devised the novel locking latch which I will now describe, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, and in which,

Figure 1 is a vertical transverse section substantially on the line 11, Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation with the cover plate removed. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the latch in section. Fig. 4 is an elevation of the latch detached, showing this part from the opposite side from that shown in Fig. 2, and in inverted position. Fig. 5 is a plan View of the latch detached.

12 denotes the latch casing having integral flanges or face plates 13 provided with screw holes 14 for securing said latch casing to the surface of the door. The rear of said casing is closed by a cover plate 15 secured thereto by a screw (not shown) which enters a tapped opening in a cylindrical lug 16 projecting from and preferably formed integral with the front of the casing.

17 denotes the latch which is pivoted on the lug 16 within the latch casing and which projects through a slot 18 in the easing into a position to engage the usual keeper (not shown) on the door frame. Said latch is formed with a suitable tail-piece 19 which is engaged by an arm 20 of a handle 21 pivoted to lugs 22 projecting from the front of the casing 12. The arm 20 projects through a slot 23 in the casing 12 and is so arranged that when the handle 21 is raised from the position shown in Fig. 1, said arm will engage and depress the tail-piece 19, thereby raising the forward end of the latch 17 from its latching position, shown in full lines in Figs. 2 and 3, into its unlatching position, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 6, 1914.

Serial No. 758,613.

The latch 17 is formed with a recess 24 in which is housed a sliding bolt or locking device 25, the form of which is most clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Said locking device 25 is preferably substantially rectangular in form, as shown, and is symmetrical with respect to a vertical axis, so that in assembling this device may be inserted in the recess 24 with either side outward. The locking device 25 is slidable in the recess 24 from the unlocking position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 and in full lines in Fig. 4, into the locking position shown in Fig. 3. When in the latter position the end of said locking device is in a position to engage a stationary lug 26, peferably formed integral with the casing 12, thereby preventing the latch 17 from being raised into unlatching position.

The bolt 25 is provided witli a pair of depending lugs or projections 27 which may be engaged by the bit of a key inserted in a keyhole 28 in the front wall of the casing in order to move said bolt into its locking or unlocking position. The keyhole 28 may, if desired, be provided with the usual cylinder or barrel 29, journaled in said keyhole and in a corresponding opening in the cover plate 15, and formed with the usual slot to receive the stem of the key.

30 denotes a flat spring engaged at one end by lugs 31, preferably integral with the casing 12, and having its opposite end bent, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3, to cooperate with an angular or oppositely beveled lug or projection 32 on the top of the bolt 25. The spring 30 performs the double function of pressing the latch 17 downwardly into its latching position and, by engagement with the lug 32, of yieldingly holding the bolt 25 in either its locking or its unlocking position. By means of the construction shown, a single spring only is employed for controlling both the latch and the locking device.

33 denotes a flange projecting upwardly from the rearward edge of the top of the bolt 17 and overlapping the end of the spring 30 in order to hold said end in proper position and insure its proper cooperation with the lug or projection 32 on the bolt 25.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a combined latch and lock has been produced in which the number of essential moving parts within the casing has been reduced to a minimum, these parts including only the latch, the locking device or bolt, and the single spring for controlling both, all of which parts are of extremely simple and inexpensive construction.

Having thus described my invention I claim:

1. A combined lock and latch comprising a casing, a latch pivoted within said casing and projecting therefrom, a bolt slidably mounted on said latch for locking the same, and a single spring engaging said bolt for holding said latch in latching position and for holding said bolt in either looking or unlocking position.

2. A combined lock and latch comprising a casing, a latch in said casing and projecting therefrom, a locking device for said latch, a single spring engaging said locking device for controlling said latch and locking device, and means on said latch for retaining said spring in proper engagement with said locking device.

3. A combined lock and latch comprising a casing, a latch in said casing and projecting therefrom, a bolt slidably mounted on said latch for locking the same, and a flat spring having one end engaging said locking device for controlling said latch and locking device, said latch having a projecting flange overlapping the end of said spring for retaining the same in proper engagement with said locking device.

4. A combined lock and latch comprising a casing, a latch in said casing and projecting therefrom, a locking device for said latch carried thereby, a lug projecting from said casing and engaged by said locking device when in looking position, and a single spring for controlling said latch and locking device.

5. A combined lock and latch comprising a casing, a latch in said casing, a bolt slidably mounted on said latch, and provided with an inclined projection, and a single spring secured to the casing and having its free end bent to cooperate with the beveled projection to press the latch downward to locking position and to yieldingly hold the bolt in either its locking or unlocking position.

6. A combined lock and latch comprising a casing, a latch in said casing and projecting therefrom, a substantially rectangular locking bolt slidably mounted on said latch for locking the same, said locking bolt being provided at one edge with a pair of lugs for engagement by a key and at the opposite edge with an inclined projection, and a spring engaging said projection for controlling said bolt and for pressing said latch downward to its latching position, said latch having a projecting flange overlapping the end of said spring for retaining the same in proper engagement with, said projection.

7 In a device of the character described, a substantially rectangular locking bolt provided at its lower edge with a pair of lugs for engagement by a key and at its upper edge with an inclined projection, said locking bolt being substantially symmetrical with respect to a vertical axis, and a spring engaging said projection for controlling said bolt and for pressing said latch downward to its latching position.

8. A combined lock and latch comprising a casing, a latch pivoted within said casing and projecting therefrom, said latch having a recess, a substantially rectangular locking bolt slidably mounted in said recess, a lug projecting from said casing and engaged by said locking device when in looking position, said locking bolt being provided at one edge with a pair of lugs for, engagement by a key and. at the opposite edge with an inclined projection, and a spring engaging said projection for holding said latch in latching position and for holding said bolt in either lockingor unlocking position, said latch having a projecting flange overlapping the end of said spring for retaining the same in proper engagement with said projection.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HARRY A. PALMER.

Witnesses J. L. RUTHERFORD, R. W. MILLARD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

